無辜的小鬼（中英）　宣化上人主講

誠念地藏菩薩超業障

Reciting Earth Store Bodhisattva's Name Sincerely
Can Eradicate Karmic Obstacles

◎宣化上人‧於萬佛聖城
A Talk Given by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

有一分功就有一分果，地藏王菩薩知道你誠心念他的名號，他就超度你的業障。
With every ounce of effort, there is a corresponding amount of harvest.
When Earth Bodhisattva knows that you are reciting his name sincerely,
he will eradicate your karmic obstacles.

直心是道場，不論出家人在家人，在什麼情形之下都應該老老實實的，不可以打妄語，不可以行險僥倖，不可以投機，或者拍馬。在什麼情形之下都要用真實的心，不用委屈求全的心。真實的心，就是要修行，要不妨礙其他的人，不障礙其他的人。我們人造的業都因為妨礙其他的人，障礙其他的人，傷害其他的人，所以就造成一種業。造了業就要受果報，等受果報的時候，還不知道懺悔，還是盡量去欺騙人，那將來是越造越深，這個業報是不容易了結的。
   　    
It is said, “A straight mind is a place for awakening.” In other words, we must be honest and truthful in any situation, whether you are a Sanghan or a lay person. Do not lie, do not be an opportunist and take great risks for self-benefit, do not cut corners, and do not engage in flattery. We must have a truthful mind in all circumstances, instead of a mind that makes great comprises in order to accommodate others. To have a truthful mind means to cultivate the Path of Bodhi, and to never harm or obstruct others. If we harm or obstruct others, we create causes for negative retribution. When our retribution is upon us, if we don’t repent and instead continue to deceive others as much as we can, we will be creating even more negative karma, which is difficult to eradicate.
   　    
好像這次（一九八二年）到亞洲去，在檳城遇到一個女孩子姓王，她在往昔中專門歡喜吃熊掌，吃猴頭。把猴子的頭打破，喝猴子的腦髓；把熊腳給割下來，用鍋煎它，吃這個熊掌。這是往昔所造的惡業，所以今生墮落變成女身，變成女身，還不知道改過自新，還是繼續造業，甚至於就墮胎殺了兩個人──墮了兩個小孩子。因為這兩個小孩子──這兩個小鬼，就把以前生生世世這些個業障鬼都給召來了，於是乎就生了cancer（癌）病。
   　    
This time (1982) when I went to Asia, I met a young woman named Miss Wang in Penang . In her past lives, she really liked to eat bear paws and monkey brains. She cracked open the heads of monkeys to drink their brain matters. She also cut off paws of bears, pan-fried them, and ate them. Because of these past karmic offenses, she is born as a woman in this life. However, instead of correcting her mistakes and starting anew, she continued to create negative karma. She even killed two human beings by having two abortions. These two little ghosts of her aborted fetuses summoned all the ghosts of living beings that she had ever harmed in her past lives. Therefore, she ended up with cancer.
   　    
在檳城的時候，她生大懺悔心，當時這cancer病就好了。好了，等到兩個多禮拜，她又舊情復發，對她這個男朋友又是藕斷絲連的，甚至於有一些不合法的行為，於是乎她這個cancer病又發作了。她這種病──這個業障，你若真痛改前非，在萬分中有一分的希望可以好；你若不痛改前非，不能改過自新，根本就沒有藥可救的，也沒有佛菩薩可以救得了的。「罪從心起將心懺」，心裏若不懺悔，這個業障就又來了，所以她的cancer病又發作了。
   　    
During my visit in Penang , this young woman brought forth a great resolve for repentance and her cancer went into remission. Unfortunately, about two weeks later she reverted back to her old ways, renewed her relationship with her boyfriend, and even engaged in acts not in accord with the Dharma. Shortly after that, her cancer came back. Her illness was caused by her karmic offenses. If she truly repented of her past mistakes and reformed, she had a one in ten thousand chance of getting well. Otherwise, there is no medicine that can cure her, and even the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can’t save her. It is said, “Offenses arise from the mind; use the mind to repent.” If we don’t repent and reform with a truthful mind, our karmic obstacles would return. In Ms. Wang’s case, since she did not truly repent and reform, she had a relapse of her cancer.
   　    
發作了，她應該寫信來告訴我，很坦白地說清楚了，那麼即使她病又發作了，或者當時還可以想辦法。可是她欺騙我，瞞著我，就說要來美國；本來我當時吩咐她，等病好了之後，她能有錢買飛機票，可以到美國來出家修道，這是要病好了。可是這個女孩子，她就病又發作了，才要來美國，要來死到萬佛城。那麼這樣子是一種欺騙的手段，這個病更不能好了。因為她的病是不可救藥了，醫藥無效了，於是乎她就上個月二十四號勉強坐飛機到了美國。這種行為完全是一種欺騙，不老實、不忠實、不坦白的一種行為，所以菩薩也沒有辦法救她。
   　    
She should have written to me when she had the relapse. If she had told me the truth, perhaps there was something that could be done then. Instead, she lied to me and told me she was coming to the U.S. Before I left Malaysia , I instructed her that after she got better and could afford a plane ticket, she can come to America and leave the home life to cultivate. In other words, she was supposed to come to American when she was cured. However, this young woman came to America only after her cancer came back; she came to die at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. It was only when her illness was beyond medical help that she got on a plane with great difficulty, and arrived in the U.S. on the 24th of last month. With this kind of trickery, her illness will be even more difficult to cure. Since her behavior is completely deceptive, dishonest and disingenuous, even the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas won’t be able to help her.
   　    
現在這個人在醫院裏，這個人的生命只有萬分中半分的希望。今天晚間大家可以誠心一點來給她迴向，希望她病好。雖然她欺騙我，欺騙我們這個道場，也可以說是欺騙大家，但是我們大家都具有慈悲心，既然她這麼遠來了，希望還可以挽回她生命死亡的危險。如果能好呢，我們盡心了；不能好，我們也算是盡心了。我們拿起木魚，念地藏菩薩的名號，大家眾志成城，誠心為她超度業障。
   　    
She is in hospital now, and she has a 0.5 in ten thousand chance of survival. This evening, let’s sincerely transfer merit to her, hoping that she will recover. Even though she deceived me, deceived this place for awakening, and in a sense deceived everyone here, we all have compassion. She came from so far away, hoping that she could be saved from the threat of death. If she could be saved, we try our best; if she could not be saved, we still try our best. Our collective effort is powerful, as we sincerely help her to eradicate her karmic obstacles. Let’s follow the rhythm of the wooden fish, and recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name on her behalf.
   　    
本來我們大家念，她這個業障應該消了；可是我們念，她的罪業隨消隨長，我們給她消的罪障是無窮無盡的，她的業障生出來也是無窮無盡的。我想我們如果想救這個人的話，那麼從明天開始，誠心一點，大家幫她打一個地藏七，念地藏菩薩聖號，為她迴向，希望她這病好。大家可以願意參加的就參加，不願意參加的就不參加，可是這要大家拿出誠心來，拿出真心來，願意幫助人的人，佛菩薩也一定會幫助你的。……
   　    
When we recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name, her karmic obstacles should have been erased. However, as her past karmic offenses are being eradicated, her new karmic offenses are accumulating as fast. Indeed, we are helping her to eradicate endless karmic offenses that she was born with. I think if we want to save this person, we need to begin a seven-day Earth Store Bodhisattva session tomorrow. Let’s recite the Bodhisattva’s name sincerely and transfer the merit to her, in the hope that she will recover. Whether you want to participate in the session is entirely up to you. However, all of us should use our upmost sincerity. When we help others with a willing heart, the Boddhas and Bodhisattvas definitely will help us, too. ...

……今天大家共同發心為這個女孩子迴向，那麼是不是他們要求我們做這件事呢？沒有的。雖然她家裏所有的親戚朋友沒有人知道，但我們現在為她迴向，希望她這個病好。我們佛教做事情，不一定要別人要求才做，我們覺得這個人可憐，就盡盡我們的心；仰仗觀音菩薩的大威神力，仰仗地藏王菩薩的大威神力，幫助這個女孩子。她能恢復知覺當然好了，要是她的業障重，不能恢復，我們也盡到我們一點心了。所以就這一點，各位應該努力！
   　    
Today, we make a resolve together to transfer merit to this young woman. Did her relatives ask us to do so? No, they didn’t. However, even if they don’t know, we are still transferring merit to her. As Buddhists, we don’t need to be asked before we help others. We feel sorry for this young woman, so we try our best to help her. We are relying on the awesome power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Earth Store Bodhisattva. It would be great if she regains consciousness; if she doesn't, it’s because of her heavy karmic offenses. Either way, we try our best. With this goal in mind, all of us should work hard!

現在世界一天比一天災難多，修道的人一天比一天少，犯戒的人一天比一天多。這是什麼原因？從什麼地方來的？為什麼世界一天壞過一天？我們人應該研究這個根本問題。這根本的問題就是因為人不守五戒，第一就是不守淫戒，男女認為淫慾的行為是人生的一種快樂，所以就背覺合塵，認賊做子，以苦為樂，以黑為白，以是為非，顛顛倒倒，胡為亂作。男女青年不但不知保持自己的寶貴精神，而且天天都是去做傷自己精神的事；男人也不知道怎樣做男人，女人也不知道怎麼樣做女人，只知道這麼個邪淫。
   　    
Nowadays, there are more and more calamities in the world, while fewer and fewer people cultivate the Path of Bodhi. In addition, there are more and more individuals who break the precepts. Why is the world getting worse day-by-day? We should examine this fundamental question. The cause of this problem is that people are not upholding the five precepts, especially the precept against sexual misconduct. Men and women mistakenly think that satisfying their sexual desires is a type of pleasure. As it is said, they “turn their backs on enlightenment and combine with the dust,” and “mistake the thief for their son.” They treat suffering as pleasure, black as white, and truth as falsehood. They are so muddled that they act recklessly and improperly, as if they were up-side down instead of right-side up. In addition, instead of knowing how to protect their precious spirit and vitality, young men and women do things everyday that end up hurting themselves. Man doesn’t know how to behave like a proper man, and woman doesn’t know how to behave like a proper woman; all they know is how to satisfy their lust.

現在讀書的學生，尤其最有名的大學裏頭，男女學生住在一起胡為亂作，那麼這樣就有問題啦，就會有小孩子了。有了小孩子，於是乎就有人發明避孕藥；避孕，胡為亂幹，違背天地造化的這種生理。避孕，說是這個就比有了小孩，有了問題好得多；其實這是一種造罪業。這個發明避孕藥的人害了多少青年，害了多少生命！
   　    
In these days, male and female students, especially those in most famous universities, live together and engage in wanton acts. These actions often lead to unwanted pregnancies. To prevent unwanted pregnancies, contraceptives were invented. People think using contraceptives is better than dealing with problems associated with unwanted pregnancies. Actually, using contraceptives is improper because it goes against the biological function of sexual intercourse, and thus is a type of karmic offense. In addition, those who invented contraceptives end up hurting so many young men and women, because these youth are more likely to engage in sexual misconduct when they think they don’t have to worry about the possibility of pregnancy.

還有男女不守規矩，有這種淫亂的行為，有了小孩子就墮胎。這一墮胎啊，造的罪業更大，犯了殺業了！避孕藥是無形中犯殺業，這個墮胎是有形中犯了殺業。犯了殺業，於是乎這個世界上就一天比一天冤氣多，一天比一天殺氣就盛；這個殺氣盛就冤氣增，於是乎就生出種種的怪病來了。你們各位研究研究，男女沒有這麼樣瘋狂不守規矩時，就沒有這麼多奇怪的病；因為現在人都不守規矩了，所以這怪病就發生了。怪病發生了，就陷入種種奇奇怪怪不可思議的不治之症了。
   　    
In addition to using contraceptives, men and women use abortion to deal with unwanted pregnancies that result from their lascivious acts. By having an abortion, they create a more serious offense – an offense of killing. Namely, while using contraceptives is an indirect form of killing, having an abortion is a direct act of killing. All these killings increase the amount of resentment and enmity in the world. This mounting negative energy, in turn, results in strange diseases. When you investigate further, you will find that if men and women are not breaking the code of moral conduct left and right, there wouldn’t be so many strange diseases with unusual and inexplicable symptoms that are incurable.

現在所謂cancer不容易治，不單單是cancer病，還有其他種種不能治的病，都是因為這種問題生出來的──這是第一不守淫戒，第二犯了殺戒，犯了盜戒， 犯了打妄語的戒，犯了飲酒的戒。這五戒是人生最要緊的規律，人人都應該守五戒。在轉輪聖王教化世人的時候，人人都守五戒，奉行十善，人人都吃齋。所以那個 時候什麼災難也沒有，人類都有相當的福報，很多人都有神通，都開五眼了。那現在人一天比一天墮落，就搞得這世界一天不如一天，一天就壞過一天！
   　    
Now, in addition to cancer, there are various other illnesses that are hard or impossible to treat. All these problems stem from first breaking the precept against sexual misconduct, then the precept against killing. These improper acts are followed by breaking the precepts against stealing, lying and taking of intoxicants, respectively. These five precepts are the most important rules in our lives. Therefore, everyone should uphold the five precepts. When the Wheel-Turning Sagely King was still in the world teaching and transforming living beings, everyone upheld the five precepts, followed and practiced the Ten Wholesome Deeds, and ate vegetarian food. At that time, there were no natural disasters, and people enjoyed a lot of blessings. Many people had spiritual powers and opened their Five Eyes. In contrast, nowadays, the moral standard is deteriorating day-by-day. This deterioration in human character is causing the world to deteriorate, too.

你想知道cancer病人這麼多，是什麼樣的來源？這些都是從殺業造成的！殺生哪，你看看，那個小生命還沒有生出來，你就把他殺了，這種怨氣該多厲害！所以，這世界一天壞過一天；人呢，也一天壞過一天。這些都是殺業造成！
   　    
Do you want know why there are so many people with cancer? This situation is created by the karma of killing. Think about it, by having abortions, you are terminating lives even before they have a chance to be born. Under these circumstances, wouldn’t the enmity of these unborn fetuses be incredibly great?! In summary, the world and its people are getting worse day-by-day. All this is due to the karma of killing.

在萬佛城的人，因為知道這種因果循環報應，我們要把這種業把它挽回來，令這個世界沒有那麼多的災難，令人類的痛苦減少一點，人類的疾病也減少一點。所以藉著王姓女孩生cancer這個機會，我們大家誠心誠意念地藏王菩薩。念地藏菩薩，就能減少眾生的罪業，令他們無量劫以來的冤親債主，都往生到西方極樂世界去；令我們所有的人的冤親債主，也都往生到西方極樂世界去。
   　    
At the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, everyone understands the cycle of cause and effect. Therefore, let’s reduce the negative karma in the world, so there will be fewer disasters, less suffering, and fewer diseases. Let’s take helping Miss Wang as an opportunity to recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name earnestly and sincerely. Recitation of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name can reduce living beings’ negative karma, and let their enemies, relatives and creditors from limitless past lives be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This recitation will also let all of our enemies, relative and creditors be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

所以藉著這個機會，我們大家誠心誠意來念地藏菩薩，一方面是幫助其他有病、有痛苦的人，一方面也超度自己過去生生世世的父母祖先、冤親債主，令他們都離苦得樂，了生脫死。
   　    
Let’s take this opportunity to recite Earth Bodhisattva’s name with earnestness and sincerity. While we are helping others who are sick or suffering, we are also crossing over our parents, ancestors, enemies, relatives, and creditor from our every past life, and allow them to leave suffering and attain bliss, and end birth and death.

有一分功就有一分果，你在這兒誠心誠意地念地藏王菩薩，地藏王菩薩感動、知道你這麼誠心念他的名號，他就超度你的業障，令你修真有份，進道無魔，早消業障，早離痛苦，往生到極樂世界，這是我們打地藏七的一個主因。所以各位要拿出一個真心，拿出一點誠心來，超度我們過去生的父母祖先、冤親債主，令他們都藉著這個機會離苦得樂，不要把光陰都空過去了！
   　    
With every ounce of effort, there is a corresponding amount of harvest. When you recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name with earnestness and sincerity, Earth Store Bodhisattva is touched. Knowing that you are reciting his name with such sincerity, Earth Store Bodhisattva will eradicate your karmic obstacles that are hindering your realization of Bodhi. He also will help you cultivate the Path of Bodhi, progress on this Path without demonic interference, quickly eradicate karmic obstacles, quickly leave suffering, and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss . Realizing all these benefits is one of the main reasons for participating in the Earth Store Bodhisattva session. So, let everyone be true and sincere, and cross over our parents, ancestors, enemies, relatives, and creditors from our past lives. Let them use this opportunity to leave suffering and attain bliss. Don’t let time pass in vain!

【編案】
王姓女孩往昔雖造諸多惡業，但她在檳城的時候，生大慚愧心，在二千餘位信眾前，竭誠向佛菩薩及宣公上人發露罪愆，求哀懺悔，當時癌病就好了。可是，爾後又舊情復發，接著又以欺騙的手段來到萬佛城。這樣，她的業越造越深，業報就不容易了結；即使萬佛城四眾弟子專誠為她舉行兩次地藏七，並經群醫搶救，數星期後，還是與世長辭了。此可謂是現身說法，警惕世人！
   　    
【Editor’s note】
Although Miss Wang created much unwholesome karma in the past, she brought forth a great revolve for repentance in Penang . In front of a Dharma Assembly consisted of more than two thousand people, she sincerely discussed her unwholesome deeds, and asked for the compassionate aid of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the Venerable Master as she resolved to repent and reform. At that time, her cancer went into remission. However, she reverted back to her old ways soon after her resolve, and used deceitful means to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Since she was committing more and more karmic offenses, it was difficult to eradicate her negative retributions. Accordingly, even though the Fourfold Assembly in the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas organized two Earth Store Bodhisattva sessions on her behalf and many doctors tried to save her, she passed away several weeks later. We can say that Ms. Wang was using her life’s story to speak the Dharma and let it be a warning to all of us!